Dallas win hints at future success
By TODD ARCHER The Dallas Morning News
11/19/2008
Last Modified: 11/19/2008 2:32 AM
IRVING, Texas — Momentum and confidence in the NFL can sway from play to play or game to game.
At 6-4, the Cowboys remain in a precarious playoff position. A hellacious December awaits them after games against the three-win Niners and two-win Seahawks.
"We can't worry about what our record is right now," right guard Leonard Davis said. "All we can do is worry about who we have next. We can't worry about any of the other teams out there because we can only control what we can control, and that's here in this locker room."
But in Sunday's win against the Redskins, the Cowboys showed signs of possible long-term success.
When the Giants went on their late-season run last year, much of it had to do with the pressure they could put on the quarterback. The Cowboys have 29 sacks, fifth-most in the league, highlighted by DeMarcus Ware's 11 and Jay Ratliff's six.
On Sunday, the Cowboys sacked Jason Campbell three times, and Phillips said they hit him 19 more times. In their past four games, the Cowboys have 14 sacks.
"It's pressure," Phillips said. "Everybody says sacks, but it's pressure."
The Cowboys killed the final 6:40 Sunday by giving the ball to Marion Barber 11 times, including 10 runs. Of course, on Monday, Barber did not want to talk about his effort, saying, "Talk to the big fellas."
Those would be his offensive linemen. Nine of Barber's carries went to the right behind Davis and tackle Marc Colombo. He gained 40 yards on the 10 carries and finished with 114 yards on 24 carries.
Barber's effort on the drive was reminiscent of Emmitt Smith's third-quarter stretch against Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVIII.
Smith carried on seven of the eight plays, with six going to the right behind Kevin Gogan and Erik Williams. It ended in a 15-yard, go-ahead touchdown by Smith, and the Cowboys won their second straight Lombardi Trophy.
"That last drive, it was just a matter of will," Davis said. "We knew exactly what we needed to do — just move the ball."
Generally, Phillips has not had a cornerback follow a receiver all over the field, but with Santana Moss' history against the Cowboys, he felt it was worth the risk. And Terence Newman responded with one of his best games.
In the final six games, Newman could have more one-on-one opportunities with Pittsburgh's Hines Ward or Santonio Holmes, the New York Giants Plaxico Burress, Baltimore's Derrick Mason and Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson, who had more than 100 yards in the teams' first meeting.
11/19/2008
Last Modified: 11/19/2008 2:32 AM
IRVING, Texas — Momentum and confidence in the NFL can sway from play to play or game to game.
At 6-4, the Cowboys remain in a precarious playoff position. A hellacious December awaits them after games against the three-win Niners and two-win Seahawks.
"We can't worry about what our record is right now," right guard Leonard Davis said. "All we can do is worry about who we have next. We can't worry about any of the other teams out there because we can only control what we can control, and that's here in this locker room."
But in Sunday's win against the Redskins, the Cowboys showed signs of possible long-term success.
When the Giants went on their late-season run last year, much of it had to do with the pressure they could put on the quarterback. The Cowboys have 29 sacks, fifth-most in the league, highlighted by DeMarcus Ware's 11 and Jay Ratliff's six.
On Sunday, the Cowboys sacked Jason Campbell three times, and Phillips said they hit him 19 more times. In their past four games, the Cowboys have 14 sacks.
"It's pressure," Phillips said. "Everybody says sacks, but it's pressure."
The Cowboys killed the final 6:40 Sunday by giving the ball to Marion Barber 11 times, including 10 runs. Of course, on Monday, Barber did not want to talk about his effort, saying, "Talk to the big fellas."
Those would be his offensive linemen. Nine of Barber's carries went to the right behind Davis and tackle Marc Colombo. He gained 40 yards on the 10 carries and finished with 114 yards on 24 carries.
Barber's effort on the drive was reminiscent of Emmitt Smith's third-quarter stretch against Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVIII.
Smith carried on seven of the eight plays, with six going to the right behind Kevin Gogan and Erik Williams. It ended in a 15-yard, go-ahead touchdown by Smith, and the Cowboys won their second straight Lombardi Trophy.
"That last drive, it was just a matter of will," Davis said. "We knew exactly what we needed to do — just move the ball."
Generally, Phillips has not had a cornerback follow a receiver all over the field, but with Santana Moss' history against the Cowboys, he felt it was worth the risk. And Terence Newman responded with one of his best games.
In the final six games, Newman could have more one-on-one opportunities with Pittsburgh's Hines Ward or Santonio Holmes, the New York Giants Plaxico Burress, Baltimore's Derrick Mason and Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson, who had more than 100 yards in the teams' first meeting.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:50 AM
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